Process and apparatus for repining vegetable oils



C. L. RILEY. PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING VEGEHBLE ons. APPLICATIUN FILED NOV. 16. 19|?.

i?. fm w N A TT ORNE YS UMTED sTA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

CHAMPLAIN L. RILEY, OF NORTH PLAINFELD TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW

JERSEY. ASSIGNOB TO CLARK, MAUMULLEN t RILEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COB- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS AND APPRATUS FOR REFINING VEGETABLE OILS.

Application led November 16, 1917. arial No. 202,272.

To all lwhom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, CHAMPLAIN L. RILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resi-n dent of the Township of North Plainfield, in the county of Somerset. in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and A paratus for Refining Vegetable Oils, of which the followingr is a specication.

My invention relates to apparatus for and the arts of refining vegetable oils and more particularly to the alpparatus and the arts of refining cocoanut oi S.

Heretoforc the refining of such oils was an expensive and tedious process and the rod.- uvt obtained under commercially practlcable conditions was inferior to the product obtained by this, my present invention. I do not, ot course, mean to imply that a product has never been obtained comparable with the product obtained by my process, since by repeating the refining processes heretofore in use no doubt a very satisfactory product might be obtained, but such repeated retining would render the cost of the product very high and hence not commercially racticable. My invention, therefore, pro uces not only a much purer product than when treated with a process as cheap as my process, but produces the product more economically and expeditiously.

My inventlon contemplates further, in addition to the 'broad idea of economical treats ment of oils, the improvements in the various elements and\a purtenances which contribute to the resu ts above described, particuiarly in the substitution of a continuous process for the batch process heretofore in use as will more fully appear hereinafter..

Cocoanut oils, or the copra oils as they are more usually designated when the raw materials are referred to, or cottonseed oil, contain some of the fatty acids which are usually neutralized by the addition of an alkali wher-eb a material capable of being dissolvedhy water (i. e., containing soap) and an oil are obtained. the oil being further refined in the usual manner by filtration, cooking, and the like steps. The separation of the oil and soapy material as specified is usually effected by permitting the material to settle to the bottom of a suitable recep- Specification of Letters Patent.

tacle, and the oil which due to its lowr specie gravity floats above the soap material is usually removed by decantatlon. This method, however, is objectionable as not; only 1s the settling and separation of the soapy material and oil incomplete in the container,

but in decantating, it is very diiiicult to determine the exact line of demarcation between the oil and soapy material, hence the usual result is that either some of the 'soa y material is decanted with the oil, or ei)se some of the valuable oil is left with soa y n'laterial. I have overcome these diiiicultles to a great extent by settling the soapy material in a novel manner in which a fluid preferably of a specific gravity lower than the oil e. g., water, acts in a positive manner to separate the oil and the soapy material, by dissolving the material and in washing the oil. The Huid acts as a wash for the oil causes a more complete and rapid separation of the soapy material from the oil than has heretofore been possible. The separation of substances in which one is dissolved by the action of a fluid and the other caused to float may be applied to other arts where such separation is often desirable, particularly when it is desired to subject such loating substance to a. washin action as will hereinafter Abe more fully @scribed in connection with my treatment of cocoanut oils. Other objects and advantages will more fully appear in the specific description of my apparatus and processes, which shows one of the numerous forms in which my invention may be embodied.

The drawing forming part of this application and showing one example of my invention represents an elevation of the apparatus partly in section and partly diagrammatic.

Referring to the drawing a feed supply tank 10 of any suitable construction has connected to its lower portion, an outlet pipe 11 provided with suitable valves for regulating the ow of liquid therein. A coupling 12 is connected to the outiet 11 and has a connection communicating with a suitable supply tank 13 for the neutralizing material. This neutralizing material is preferably caustic alkali, c. g., soduuthydroxid in 10% solution'. The end of the pipe 12 terminates in a neutralizin chamber 14. This chamber is provided wit an agitator which may be of any suitable construction, such for instance as shown in the drawing, in which the agitator comprises a vertical s indle 15 geared by means of the bevele gears 16 and 17 to a belt pulley 19, which is driven by a motor 20. Axed to the spindle 15 are a plurality of paddles 21 which keep the solution in the neutralizing chamber 14 in agitation. The proportion of the lbelt ulley 19 to the pulley of the motor 20 is suc that the speed of the paddles is suitably reduced to prevent undue s lashing in the neutralizing chamber 14. din outlet ipe 22 entends from the lower portion of t e neutralizin chamber 14 to a suitable pump 23, wliic has connected thereto piping 24, terminating in an accumulating tank 24", to permit the materials entering said tank to react more completely than would ordinarily occur in the chamber 14. The tank 24 may, of course, be eliminated under certain conditions, e. g., where a neutralizing chamber as 14 of relatively large dimensions is provided. Extending from the lower portion of the tank 24 is a pipe terminating in an inverted coneshape nozzle 25, the function of which will more fully appear hereinafter. A separatin reservoir 29 of any suitable form is provi ed and has connected to its cover or to suitable brackets in case the reservoir is open at the top, baiie cylinders 30 and 31 located concentric with respect to the inverted cone 25 and has extending from its lower conical portion a free fall plpe 32 connected with piping 33 and hot water inlet 34. It is obvious that these cylinders 30 and 31 will at all times contain a body of liquid which is maintained as a se arate pool within the entire body of liqui in the reservoir 29. Inasmuch as this pool has no upper outlet, and as soap cannot rise into it, the pool will be constituted at all times of practically clear oil, which in order to leave the ap? paratus must pass under the lower edge of the cylinder 31 and again in an upward direction through the constricted portion of the fluid which surrounds the cylinder 31. The employment of the cylinders 30 and 31, as is readil seen from the drawing, divides the body o louid in reservoir 29 in such a way that the major portion of the liquid in reservoir 29 occupies a relatively large sectional area while toward the upper part of the reservoir the liquid whichv may overow is maintained in a condition of yczmstricted sectional area. A circulation pump 36 is connected to the piping 33 aiulii'as connected therewith piping 37 connecting with the reservoir 29. The pum 36 maintains a circulation of a suitable liquid, for example, water, in the se arating reservoir 29. The circulation of the solvent thus established results in continually dissolving a part of the soapy material by agitating the two together, which prevents the soa from at any time becoming so thick as to ogthe apparatus. By repeatedly circulating the solvent, the soapy fluid may be brought to the desired consistency or strength required for further treatment, and may then be maintained in that state. From the upper part of the reservoir 29 extends an overow pipe 40 connected with a decolorizing chamber 41 of the usual construction. The reservoir 29 is tapped by piping 42 below the surface of the circulating uld maintained by the pump 36, the said piping having, for example, a U shaped bend 43 by which the level, hereinbefore described, of the fluid in the separating reservoir 29 may be maintained at a redetermined level. The conduit forme lby bend 43 and the pipe leading therefrom to the chamber 46 is lower than the cnduitof the oil outlet 40, the diilerence in level automatically maintaining a predetermined depth of oil above the solvent. Thus, no matter what the relative proportion of oil, soa and solvent may be', the depth of the oil` yer will adjust itself so as to be substantially constant, since any excess of solvent and soap will immediately overflow through ipe 42 while an excess of oil at once resu ts in an increased volume of overflowin oil at 40. The U shaped bend 43 is provi ed with suitable vent 44 adapted to break any possible vacuum in the fall pipe 45 so that the material will not si hon out of the separating chamber 29 but w1 i How in accordance with the height of the fluid in the reservoir 29 with respect to the U shaped bend 43. The fall pipe 45 is connected to a storage tank 46 located at the lower end thereof. A decolorizing chamber 41 is provided with an outlet 48 communicating with the storage tank 49. The height of the liquid in the storage tank 49 may be controlled by any suitable means such as the example shown in the drawing which comprises a ball Boat valve which controls a pump 50 in accordance with the height of the liquid in lthe tank 49. The pump 50 pumps the oil to a lter ress 51. pump 52 pum s the oil to a stil supply tank 52 connected y pi ing 53 with the filter press 51. Extending rom the lower portion of the still supply tank 52 is the piping 54 communicating with a cooking apparatus 55 of the usual and well known construction.

The decolorizing chamber 41, the tanks 49 and 52, the iilter ress 51 and the cookin chamber 55 are al of the usual and wel known type employed in the refining of co coanut oil.

When I speak in my claims of a solvent for soap I mean a solvent capable of dissolving the soluble materials formed by the solvent into the mixture.

action of an alkali on a vegetable oil and when I s eak of asoapy material I- mean such solu le materials.

When I speak of various materials I only mean such materials as are suitable.

1. The im rovement in the art which comprises intro ucng a mixture containing a partially refined vegetable oil and soap into a solvent for soa and withdrawing portions of the soapy so vent from the mixture of oil and soa introducing a fresh supply of solvent to t e soapy solvent and recirculating said diluted-solvent substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The im rovement in the art which comy prises introgucing a mixture containing a partially refined vegetable oil and soap into a solvent for a soap and withdrawing portions of the soapy solvent from the mixture of oil and soap and re-introducin the soapy substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The improvement in the art which comprises introducing a. mixture containing a partially refined vegetable oil and soap into a confined body of liquid overflowing at its upper level, providing Within the upper level of said liquid a series of pockets communicating with each other at their lower portions, one of said pockets lbeing in communication at the upper level of the liquid with its overflowing portion, causing the oil as it separates in the liquid'to rise into said pockets whereby when a portion of the oil already contained in any one of the pockets which is not in direct communication with the overflowing portion of the oil is displaced from said pocket it is forced to travel throu h a portion of the main body of liquid befre it is able to reach the overflowing portion of the oil.

4. The improvement in the art which comprises establishing a circulating solvent for soap and continually introducing to the said circulating Solvent so as-to be supported thereon and commingled therewith a mixture of soapy material and oil, separating the oil from the soap out of the liquid supported by said circulating solvent, and recovering from the circulating solvent soapy material dissolved during circulation.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with means to mix an oil and a neutralizing agent, of a separating tank having an outlet for oil near its upper part. an inlet for the introduction of liquid solvent of the soapy constituent of said mixture, an outlet for the soa y solvent, and means communicating Wit said inlet and outlet for causing the repeated introduction of the solvent into and withdrawal of the solvent from said tank.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with means to mix the oil and a neutralizing agent, of a separating chamber having an outlet means to maintain a repeated circulation ol a solvent for soap in said separating chamber and means to introduce a quantity of solvent into said circulating means whereby a ortion of the dissolved soapy materia is caused to overflow through said outlet.

In an apparatus of the character de scribed the combination with means to mix the oil and a neutralizing agent, of a separating chamber, means to maintain. a circulation of solvent for soap in said separating chamber, means to regulate the heigh-t of solvent in said chamber and means to introduce a quantity of solvent into said circulating means, such increase causing a sub-A stantial equivalent quantity of dissolved soapy material to low through said regulatin means.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with means to mix an oil and a neutralizing agent, of a separating chamber containing a solvent for soap, a vertical pipe in communication with the chamber of said mixing means, a plurality of bales concentric with said pipe, the said pi e terminating below the surface of said so vent and the successive bullies terminating successively nearer the surface of said solvent, means to maintain a circulation of the solvent for soap in said separating chamber, means to introduce a supply of solvent to said chamber and overflow means connecting with said separating chamber through which the dissolved soa y material is ada ted te overow when a urther supply o solvent is admitted to the chamber.

9. The process of continuously separating a mixture of oil and soap which consists in continuously introducing to a mixture thereof, a solvent for the soap, maintaining a substantial depth of oil at the upper part of the mixture, continuously withdrawing oil and soap solvent the oil being withdrawn at a biglier overflow level than' the soapy solvent, periodically introducing a further supply of the mixture and establishing a positive separation between the oil and the soap, between the point where the mixture is introduced and the point where the oil is withdrawn.

10. The process of continuously separating a mixture of oil and soap which consists in continuously introducing to a mixture thereof, a solvent for the soap, maintaining a substantial depth of oil at the u per part of the mixture, continuously witiidrawing oil and soapy solvent, the oil bein withdrawn at a higher overflow level t an the soapy solvent, periodically introducing a further supply of the mixture, continuouslyY agitating the mixture and circulating part of the `-oapy material, both by means of said Aaolvcnt. and establishing a positive Sepalib tion between the oil and the soap, between the point where the mixture is introduced, and thtl point where the oil ia withdrawn.

Il. rl`he process mixture of .-.oap v material and oil` said mixture bein; r produced b v neutralizing the fatty acid contained in vegetable. oil. which coniprisea` confining a body of said liquid to permit a gra vit y separation of oil and soapy material. maintaining within the confined body of liquid a Separate b ody of oil. which at it: lower portion is in conununication with the body of the` liquid, withdrawin oil from the top of the liquid at a region o the liquid other than that occupied by said body of oil. supplying: additional volumes of the original mixture to the, confined bodyr of liquid and withdrawing soapy material therefrom.

1'2. The procesa of separating oil from a mixture of soapy material and oil, said mixture being produced by neutralizing the fatty acids contained in vegetable oil. which comprises confining a body of said liquid to permit a gravity separation of oil and soapy material. \\'ithdrawin g oil from the top of the liquid, maintaining within the upper portion of said liquid a stepped obstruction adapted to force a substantial portion of the oil to rise in successivestages and to force all of-tbe oil to rise to thersurface in a passage way `less in cross, section than the cross section of the main portion of the body of of separating oil from av the liquid` supplyiner additional volumes of the original mixture to they confined body of liquid and withdrawing soapy material therefrom.

13. The process which comprises continuously neutralizing the fatty acids contained in vegetable oils whereby a .soapy material and an oil are obtained and continuously laupplyiiacr auch liquid to a confined `apacc, iuaintainiin;r in lsaid contined body7 of liquid but spaced from the overtiow, a pool of separated oil -wbich at its lower portion is in communication with the body of confined liquid. overflowing oil from the n )per level ot' said body of liquid and wit 1drawingr Ysoapy material therefrom.

1l. The. continuous process which comprises` confining a liquid mixture of oil and soapy material to permit a gravity separation of oil and soapy material, 'maintaining within the confined body ot' liquid mixture separate bodies of oil. one of which is at its lower portion in communication with the body of the liquid mixture, withdrawing oil at the top of one of the separate bodies of oil. continuously supplying additional volumes of the original mixture to the conined body of liquid and witlulrawing soapy material from the continual liquid at a point below the lower level of the separated oil discharging from the confined volume of liquid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. q

CHAMPLAIN L. RILEY. 

